The present technology relates to a content transfer device and a content transfer method which transfer a content stream exported from a streaming server, a content reproduction device and a content reproduction method which perform the selection of content and the reproduction of content, a content distribution system, and a computer program, for example, to a content transfer device and a content transfer method which transfer a content stream distributed by an IPTV broadcast service to an IPTV service client, a content reproduction device and a content reproduction method which perform the selection of content or channels and the reproduction of content as a client in an IPTV service, a content distribution system and a computer program.
Progress is being made in the commercialization of IPTV services and VOD (Video on Demand) services which transmit video content that had been broadcast using ground waves or satellite waves via an IP (Internet Protocol) broadband network.
In the IPTV distribution system of the related art, the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) is being used for the acquisition and control of the AV stream. In other words, in an Internet TB distribution system which uses a network in which the quality is not guaranteed, in general, a method is adopted in which transfer is performed using the same HTTP and TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) protocols for both the acquisition control messages of the content and the AV stream of the content (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-272868).
Meanwhile, in a network in which the QoS of (Quality of Service) is guaranteed, such as NGN (Next Generation Network), the introduction of which is being led by the carriers of various countries, a streaming session is established using a protocol such as SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) or RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), and the AV stream is transferred using a protocol such as RTP (Real time Transport Protocol) (for example, refer to International Publication WO 2008/091009).
In general, there are different implementation profiles (sets of protocol parameters) of the clients of the IPTV protocol using SIP/RTSP and RTP for each carrier. Therefore, the device vendors which develop and manufacture devices such as STBs (Set Top Boxes) which receive IPTV have to implement an individual IPTV client for each carrier (an IPTV client application for each carrier).
In FIG. 10, a video distribution system is schematically shown in which the establishment of a streaming session is performed using the SIP/RTSP protocol, in addition to transferring the AV stream using the RTP protocol. In the illustrated example, individual services known as IPTV service A and IPTV service B are respectively provided from two carriers, and a server is installed for each service. Here, in order to receive the distribution service from the server of the IPTV service A, an individual IPTV client application for service A is necessary, and in order to receive the distribution service from the server of the IPTV service B, an individual IPTV client application for service B is necessary. Specifically, these client service applications for each of the services are embedded software inside the STB issued by each carrier. In such cases, it is necessary for the carrier to change the devices (in other words, the STB) when changing the service. In addition, it is necessary for the vendor of the client application to develop and maintain the client application in accordance with the individual protocols of each carrier (in other words, each service). In addition, after subscribing to the IPTV service of a carrier, it is necessary for the end user to buy another STB when the user wants to further use the IPVT service of a different carrier.
The device vendors have a desire to reuse the IPTV client implementation they have developed for the IPTV service of a carrier for the IPTV service of a plurality of other carriers. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to either implement a different individual IPTV service protocol for each carrier for one client, or to implement a plurality of different individual IPTV clients for each carrier. The protocol implementation costs the device vendor. In addition, a problem occurs in that the maintenance regarding the addition of functions in accordance with the requests from the service provider costs the device vendor.
In addition, it is necessary to provide a uniform service which does not depend on the differences in implementation between each client in relation to the end user, no matter which of the clients of the different implementations by the plurality of different client vendors is used. Therefore, there is a problem in that the service provider has to spend more time and money on service development and maintenance such as testing and management of service quality.